Things I Learned Today

This is me!

2009-05-03T12:13:00.001-07:00

http://www.google.com/profiles/BruceMR

Wow. So many of me, I had to make a profile so Google can tell all us Bruce Robertsons apart.

Lyrical dialog boxes

2009-04-25T05:35:00.001-07:00

http://www.irishstu.com/stublog/2008/08/22/modern-love-alert-box/

I love this -- lyrical dialog boxes! Don't they just sing to you?

Show Me The Money! Using EA to Structure Spend (US Federal VUE-IT)

2009-04-24T11:00:00.001-07:00

New blog post: "Show Me The Money! Using EA to Structure Spend (US Federal VUE-IT" http://is.gd/ukNW

Hoyas off season loss: Summers

2009-03-30T17:58:00.001-07:00

Summers going into the NBA draft. Gtown needs him. Too bad. He was a loose cannon this year. Still: big loss for the Hoyas.

Experts Overrated? I want to be a fox!

2009-03-27T08:45:00.001-07:00

I was drawn to this Kristof editorial someone emailed me at work (where I'm an expert of course -- but, aren't we all?!):

Nicholas D. Kristof: Want to play some darts?
Some quotes:

The best example of the awe that an "expert" inspires is the "Dr. Fox effect." It's named for a pioneering series of psychology experiments in which an actor was paid to give a meaningless presentation to professional educators.

The expert on experts is Philip Tetlock, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. His 2005 book, "Expert Political Judgment," is based on two decades of tracking some 82,000 predictions by 284 experts. The experts' forecasts were tracked both on the subjects of their specialties and on subjects that they knew little about.
The result? The predictions of experts were, on average, only a tiny bit better than random guesses — the equivalent of a chimpanzee throwing darts at a board.

I can relate.

At my old job, we tried a Dr. Fox thing at a conference – we hired a comic to start his presentation as if he were an outside expert. We fed him some verbiage to make him sound current, then he started to twist it, and finally he just admitted and went on with a comedy routine that naturally ended up with various stupid jokes. It was funny. And, yes, people were fooled.

Another time, a colleague and I were presenting at a Networld+Interop session and we had a typo on a slide. So, my friend said: “Oh by the way, how many of you are aware of the “XH1.59” (or whatever the typo was) standard?” At least half the audience raised their hand.

Beyond being an expert, if this article is right, I want to be a fox! Not a "Dr. Fox" fake, but the fox that's more successful in predictions than a hedgehog. I always wanted to be a fox. Or foxy. Or something. Uh. Oops. I guess I'm no expert.

And, in the "I hope so" dept.: Universal Charger?

2009-03-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

Came across this: Mobile Industry Unites to Drive Universal Charging Solution for Mobile Phones. I certainly hope so (even Apple -- maybe convincing them to have a power and sound version). I hear they are already doing this in Japan. If only here. I'm all for it. In fact, for now, USB remains the only guaranteed charger for most of my stuff.

Balancing here ... this IS funny, Mr. Seagal!

2009-03-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

Cracked.COM posting
Honestly, deep journalism like this strikes a chord with me. I confess: it's wonderful to see the high and mighty for what they really are. I knew what Steven Seagal was -- I've suffered through his well plotted and well acted movies before. But, to have Hollywood bent over a knee and spanked ... well, that's refreshing.

I need more flow charts.

Theory is definitely LESS funny than practice

2009-03-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

Another day trolling the silly blogs and news in my reader program made me run into this:UK researcher identifies just 8 patterns as the cause of all humor. That looks interesting, says I. Maybe I can finally figure out how to tell a joke. Or, learn to remember them, so I can tell them later. So, I wing over there, and see quotes like this (just a subset):

"Basically humour is all about information processing, accelerating faculties that enable us to analyse and then manipulate incoming data."

I'm not discouraged: this could still be leading to something funny. I note that there's a web site for the book: "The Eight Patterns Of Humour" by Alastair Clarke. You can download a PDF copy of the theory of funny there. So I did. Here's a quote:

We may find anything funny at any time, and whenever we do so it is the result of exactly the same simple process, one whose economy and scope are unparalleled. Underpinning this system are just eight patterns, the recognition of which has produced all the humour that has ever been imagined or expressed, regardless of civilization, culture or individual taste.

Pattern recognition theory is not so much a system for humour as a system for human intellect since they are, at the profoundest level of their mechanisms, one and the same thing.

And, I'm still not amused. What's funny? All I can see is, as usual with all things said with a British accent, the misspelling of the term "humour." Us Americans, we barely use that word anyway. Using it, makes it clear that something UNfunny is about to happen. That makes me laugh: separated by a common language.

Unfortunately, there's nothing funny about the theory of humor, spelled or misspelled. Oh well. Educational = not funny.

Gearing up ... or not?

2009-03-17T05:56:00.000-07:00

Recently someone asked: what if Google failed? What businesses would be affected. I really don't thank that many. For example, I found this site that is tracking how many apps use Google Gears: List of Web Applications That Use Google Gears. Doesn't seem like that many (I count 11, and some are by Google itself). Is Google really a platform or just a zeitgeist? Hmm.

What is identity? What is a resource?

2009-03-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hmm. I'm not sure I know. But, others discuss this, such as Thompson in What are URIs.

It's all very RESTful, though. Like Zen. Like ...

MySpace Music -- Ready (Better) or Not?

2009-03-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

MySpace's new music offerings are described in today's NY Times "BITS" blog MySpace Upgrades Its Music Offerings.

To quote:

“Right now a large number of people are sharing links back to public playlists on MySpace. We are going to start to figure out how to go beyond that and we have some ideas,” he said. “The key for me is, I want to make sure we can create revenue from that. So far there is a lot of ‘hyper-syndication’ on the Net, and it hasn’t returned a high value. We want to make sure there’s a business to go with that. We don’t want to just do it.”

Ok, yes, make money. But, nonetheless: just do it! If you don't Google will. Or Amazon or someone else.

I want to be in the web-scale identifier business

2009-03-10T18:55:00.000-07:00

I found this article The Simple Joys of Web-Scale Identifiers when reading my friend Nick Gall's blog: Ironick which is, perhaps it goes without saying when referring to a friend's work, FANTASTIC.

The point of the article is that we should stop inventing new GUIDs (globally unique IDs) and just reuse those others have already created. If we did, we could all find when we're referring to the same thing and perhaps leverage that. The article discusses this in the context of music -- identifying artists or songs uniquely so that everyone referring to a particular version even of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" would get the same version (e.g., live or studio). Then, we could take that to iTunes and/or Amazon or Last.FM to hear or buy that song. We could produce song lists that everyone could reuse against their own personal copies.

Life would be great. So, how do you get into the standard GUID business? How did MusicBrainz? These are the things I need to research.

My Loopt Journal

2009-03-03T20:10:00.001-08:00

Sign up for Loopt at www.loopt.com

Music Shows Your Smarts?

2009-03-02T08:06:00.000-08:00

This article (WSJ: Books and Music that make you dumb) makes me laugh:

What if you like both Radiohead (="smart") and Tool (="dumb"), like me? Hybrid?

Still, it IS interesting to leverage the data that the big social sites are collecting to learn more about tastes, not unlike NetFlix does for it's space. In fact, why can't Netflix gradually get clients on FaceBook linked up and then do this analysis for fave videos (or couldn't FlixSter)?

Love it!

The Decline of Good Music -- or so they say

2009-01-07T18:43:00.000-08:00

Recently I came across this interesting graphic:

The Hubbert Peak Theory of Rock, or, Why We’re All Out of Good Songs

Go check the link, but basically it shows that all the good rock songs (per the Rolling Stone top 500) were mostly in the late 60s and then the 70s, with a gradual decline thereafter. There's even a spurious linkage to the decline of oil from US sources (totally unrelated, really). So, rock is dying, basically.

What a CROCK! Here's my comment posted there:
This whole graphic is merely measuring the general decline with age of those doing the judging of the songs. They like the songs they toked to when they were young, and now remember fondly. They didn’t have babies then. Now, they have houses with mortgages they can’t pay and divorce to contend with, and so they don’t love new music as much. Of course: they’re OLD. FREAKIN’ OLD.
I should know: I’m one. Actually, I do like some new music. And, I’ve been thinking lately that the Rolling Stones weren’t as great as we all thought. And, I do like Green Day. And Jet. And …
So, we’re not ALL old and dried up. Some can still FEEL THE MUSIC. The rest are old farts.

What's so important about Owain Yeoman?

2008-11-12T03:33:00.000-08:00

He's unique. Or, at least, his name is.

When you search for this name, you immediately get one and only one person as a hit. Many hits, yes, but still all for the same person.

Not for me. My name is just normal -- not John Smith but ... well, pretty basic. Nothing unique, not even in the combination of the names. Well, my middle name is a bit different, but I don't use it. If I use it at all, like on my credit card name, it's abbreviated. Why? Because I don't want to have to spell it out, etc. Then again, I often have to spell out my first and last names for people, particularly over the phone.

So, I'm hard to find on the Internet. Sometimes this is a benefit, but if like me you have written some books, you kind of want to make it easy for people to find them. Googling my name doesn't do that. I tell people to look for the name of my co-author, which is much more unique.

So, while I've always liked my name -- very American and simple -- now I'm seeing the downside of homogenation. It makes me feel more for people with a name like John Smith in a large organization that have to create user names with #s in them.

So, here's to simple ... and invisible. And, to unique ... and findable. Maybe I should create a unique alias for publishing. Maybe I can rent one from Owain?

Election Eve -- Who's Leaning Which Way?

2008-11-03T20:10:00.000-08:00

I just saw the final messages from Obama and McCain at halftime of the Redskin game. I can see that each is leaning his own way. Literally. Their heads aren't straight up when they talk -- they each lean. Of course, they lean DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS! Oddly, however, they lean the opposite of what you might think -- Barack to the right and John to the left (from their perspective -- from mine, it's the opposite).

Odd, isn't it? They're leaning toward each other.

Product placement

2008-11-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

I just watched an episode of NCIS, and boy do those guys drink coffee! Not just any coffee, but Starbucks specifically. However, it's slightly sneaky -- they don't show the logo head on really much, but you can't but tell it's theirs. And, they ALWAYS are getting coffee. They drink nothing else. Except also bourbon.

I do like their taste -- coffee, bourbon, a little beer, maybe some water.

Still, these guys drink coffee like they used to smoke and do cocktails in old Hollywood movies. They ALWAYS have it. Wow.

TILT: (Mon) Palin get's Fey-ed (SNL)

2008-09-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

TILT: (Sun) I like to make noise

2008-09-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

With my guitar, mostly. I just like it loud. I like to play loud. I like to hear loud. It's amazing I can still HEAR at all. Like Pete Townsend. I hope not. But, I do like it loud -- especially on guitar. Did I mention that?

TILT: (Sat) Posting from Picasa

2008-09-21T18:48:00.001-07:00

So, can I easily do this?

From Print Possibilities

TILT: (Fri) Get your hands off my guitar!

2008-09-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I've had one dropped before. And, broken. And, never repaired. It was my first. So, I'm a bit concerned when I see that my daughter's friends and my daughter herself are using it without asking. I would get mad, but ... well, I just worry. I hope they don't break it. I hope. Please?

TILT: (Thu) Just moved a chair in the lair

2008-09-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

Actually, in the dungeon. Closer to the HD TV, for the football game. The furniture has been one way for forever (2ish years). Why not change? It's just one chair. Then again, when my wife sees it, she'll KILL me. Things are supposed to be as she likes, even in MY TV room. Oh well. A little disobedience isn't bad, is it?

TILT: (Wed) Fetish: lusting after things

2008-09-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

A new section for the blog: what do I desire to buy? Cool new expensive watch? Cool new Merrell Vertex shoes? Whatever I see in the NY Times magazine mens fashion section? Sure. But most I can't afford. Doesn't mean it's not worth looking, does it? Some days, I do wish for these things. Other days, I think this is stupid and anyway who has the money.

But, those some days, I sure do lust after things. Don't you?

You just want to try them on. To look different, more sophisticated, more cool. More hip, if indeed someone 47 ever can look hip anymore. More like an artist, less like an analyst. How to pull that off, that style, that slight difference that makes people notice you a bit more. Yes, I do wish I were more hip. Perhaps before I get a hip replacement. Maybe that's what my current wardrobe needs, a hip replacement. Or addition, since it doesn't have much to replace.

TILT: (Tue) New laptop

2008-08-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

It's smaller, lighter, newer. You have to reset all the little stuff. Install a few extras. Hope it'll all work. Still getting used to the smaller keyboard, but so far I like it being lighter. I may get a lighter bag and carry less stuff. Hopefully the battery will be better. We'll see.

TILT: (Mon) Talking ads = not enough talk

2008-08-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

Another thing -- the talk itself is an advertisement. They discuss games, but mostly the games that are on their own network. ESPN of course. Then GEICO makes an ad that allows the host to talk about the upcoming games. On ESPN. Double advert. Not a separate ad, but during what should be the talk. 5 minutes of talk, with 5 of ads.

TILT: (Mon) Radio ads

2008-08-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

Aren't they annoying? I think there may be more than on TV. 5 minutes worth, interspersed with just some oft repeated news. When you actually want to listen to the talk, you get too much ad plus too much not new news. Even their talk sometimes is just ads -- all about what ESPN is covering later.

TILT: (Sun) Ok, that wasn't too good

2008-08-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

Well, I tried. I thought that the autoposting would work. Didn't look good. My bad. Oh well, can't win em all.

At least I can just watch soccer and football and enjoy the lingo. Adds for boots, soccer cleats, that is.

TILT: (Sat) How to post to blog from Clipmarks.com

2008-08-23T11:38:00.001-07:00

clipped from clipmarks.com

What blogging services are supported for Clip-to-Blog™?

Clip-to-Blog currently supports Blogger, WordPress, TypePad, LiveJournal, Movable Type and Vox. We also provide an embed code so you can easily paste clips into other blogs, including MySpace.

To change the style of clips that you post to your blog, click the "Style Options" link in the Clip-to-Blog™ window (see image on right).

Can I change the style of clips I post to my blog?

From there you can customize the color of the border and source link. You can also remove the clipmarks logo that appears below the clip.

You'll also find some more advanced features, including the ability to disable inline styles if you want the style to default to your blog style.

TILT: (Fri) Have you made a "gasoline investment"?

2008-08-22T07:08:00.001-07:00

I just heard a radio add talking about "preserving" your "gasoline investment" by purchasing a locking gas cap! Wow. Granted, gas is expensive, but it ain't no investment. It's more like food -- a necessity and also rapidly used up. So, you can't keep it around for a while and see if it gets more valuable -- it's not like gold or stocks. Odd way of trying to sell a locking gas cap. I don't even think there are significant reports of gas stealing, but I'm too lazy to look it up. I think this goes in that category of "might happen, but pretty unlikely" so why go out and buy a locking gas cap?

Example: Berry Picking with Kids notes this:

"if you’re looking to make good on your gasoline investment and spend more time, some farms offer additional activities" (my bolding)

TILT: (Thu) That GOLD medal: Priceless ... or perhaps worthless or worth relatively little?

2008-08-22T06:21:00.000-07:00

Gold Medal Is Priceless, But Metal Is Worth $215
Posted Aug 20, 08 8:49 PM CDT in Business, Sports

"(Newser) – Michael Phelps’ eight Olympic golds may be priceless, but they're not worth that much to a commodities trader, MarketWatch notes. This year's gold medals are made mostly of silver and coated with less than a quarter-ounce of gold, putting their value around $215. But people are, of course, willing to shell out much more for a piece of Olympic history.
A silver medal from the 2000 Games is listed on eBay with a starting price of $7,999.99. And in 2004, a Polish swimmer raked in more than $80,000 for charity when she auctioned off her gold medal. China's paying plenty for the medals, too: with record-high metals prices, it cost millions to make all 6,000 of them."

Source MarketWatch
Olympic medals more valuable than the metal
DUH!

"The International Olympic Committee requires the gold medal to contain a minimum of six grams of gold. Huang Ping, vice president of Shanghai-based China Banknote Printing and Minting Corp., the producer of the medals, said in an interview with China Business News that the amount of gold in each medal was strictly controlled at 6.0 to 6.1 grams.
Despite an effort to reduce costs, record-high metals prices have meant that producing 6,000 gold, silver and bronze metals for the 2008 Olympics and the Paralympics is costing China millions of dollars."

TILT: (Wed) Best Trophy Presentation

2008-08-21T19:18:00.001-07:00

Is NOT at the Olympics. At least, not for teams. It's either the Stanley Cup (hockey) or the World Cup (soccer) and related events. The team all gets their medals or whatever, hand shakes with the big wigs, etc. Then, the trophy is given to the team captain, and he turns around and hoists it into the air and the crowd goes wild.

In all the rest, the trophy is given to the adults (manager, owner), not the kids (players). I like it when the KIDS get the trophy first. This really makes the crowd all cheer their loudest when the trophy is lifted.

TILT: (Tue) Amazing weather

2008-08-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

I live in DC. In August, it's hot. And humid. It's hot and humid.

So, what's with this weather? It's so cool, I had to put on socks and long pants. What? In August? We've got the house all open and the air is great. Not hot. Not humid.

I just sat outside for a while, and the wind was wandering around. Trees beautiful. Happy happy.

And, guess what: now I have a cold. See -- that weather was NOT right, somehow.

TILT: (Mon) Now we're cookin!

2008-08-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

We got a new stove top recently. It has 5 burners and puts out serious BTUs. One burner is so large it handles our largest pan. She had 3 pans working at the same time -- no loss of power. Wow. This is COOKING! Hot. Indeed, very hot! So hot, we actually have to be careful with some pans that aren't supposed to get TOO hot. It's sleek. It's got a power fan thing that raises up out of the table. Totally cool! No, hot. Er, cool. No. Yeah. Cool. They had to cut our marble top to put it in. Still looks good in the space. Nice investment. Good food coming, I think.

TILT: (Sun) Yawn

2008-08-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Some Sundays I just can't wake up. Stayed up too late? Didn't want to get up? Usually I'm an early riser, heading down for that wonderful first cup of coffee. I do love that first cup. Of course, I kinda like the second one as well. I can drink coffee all morning and just read the paper. Even waking up late, I read the paper -- and then I look up and it's like 1pm. What happened to the time? Well, I do like that level of relaxing. Just paper, coffee -- hanging in the living room in the sun coming thru the windows. Just relaxing. Yawn.

TILT: (Sat) Life outside work

2008-08-12T20:23:00.000-07:00

I think I have to learn how to stop working. Weekend comes and I'm worried about work. I get to the work week, then have trouble getting psyched for work? Hmm. Must be summer. Vicious cycle. Gotta get on the ball. Actually, I've just starting working out with a ball, sort of. I look at it while exercising. I have one. Yes, I use all that exercise equipment that I've bought over the years. All of it. Including the ball. Yes, I'm having a ball.

TILT: (Fri) Accumulation

2008-08-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

I sit in my office, which has junk all over it. I can't write with all this mess!

So, time to send back those shoes I ordered that I didn't like, and break down the boxes and toss the other junk. Just basically clean up. How did I let it get to this point? Just junk. Junky room means junky thought. I think.

Wonder if I'll every get rid of the even more ridiculous piles of junk in my closet. Probably not. I don't write there.

Perhaps I won't notice if I keep the doors closed?

TILT: (Thu) Writing, writing, writing

2008-08-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

Ain't it great to be a knowledge worker? Sit in front of a computer screen and keyboard and type all day. Think sometimes, but type more. According to Wikipedia, knowledge is:

Knowledge is defined (Oxford English Dictionary) variously as (i) expertise, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject, (ii) what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information or (iii) awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.

Skills? Typing.
Facts? I sit in front of my computer all day working.
Awareness? This blog. Exacerbated by writers block.

Lovely.

TILT: (Wed) Ever watch too much TV?

2008-08-08T16:58:00.000-07:00

I have. I have done this. I have had it done to me -- like in Clockwork Orange! No, not really.

Sometimes I just start watching tube in the dungeon (aka the basement, where I have the HD 50 inch installed), and then fall asleep, then wake, then sleep, then wake. You get the pic. I'll wake up at 3am -- am I still watching TV or not?

Hard to tell, I'll admit. From behind my eyelids, perhaps.

It's quite the disjointing experience. Sometimes I think -- I'll just watch this next show -- then, I wake up again and think I've watched. But, I've slept. Or, I'll say -- time to get up and head to a real bed (my couch frankly is NOT that comfy). But, I don't -- I fall asleep again on the couch thinking about doing it.

To sleep, perchance to dream? No, to sleep, and pretend to watch TV.

I think I'm busted. Broken. Stuck in a rut, anyway.

It's a bad habit. Gotta stop. Gotta turn OFF the damn TV!

But, that HD is SO COMPELLING. And now the Olympics are coming. Well, at least I'll get some sleep!

TILT: (Tue) Too many commercials on AM Radio

2008-08-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm still complaining.

So, they talk for a while. Then, there's a new report every 20 minutes. Both a local DC and a national one. Then there are the commercials. Two kinds: the actual ones and the stealthy ones that are embedded in the talking heads part. When Mike and Mike spend time talking about some sponsored section of their show, I get green. Not with envy, but with disgust. How much of this do we need? At some point, it'll ALL be commercials, with no actual content.

Then again, in a way -- it already IS! Think about it. Sports is entertainment. So all sports talk is in a sense advertising these entertainments. Like TNT showing over and over again it's OWN shows in commercials. So, all sportstalk is advertisement. This is very obvious when you notice that their news is skewed completely to what they themselves plan to cover. ESPN Radio will say "hey there's this good baseball game tonite" without noting that on TV it's on some non ESPN/Disney channel. They selectively define what is the news of what sports are available. Apparently the only ones that matter are they ones they carry on air.

Well, that's not very even handed or "fair and balanced" -- is it? Shouldn't it be?

TILT: (Mon) I'm still annoyed at the reduced AM radio in DC

2008-08-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

Every day I go to my radio, and test the 2 buttons that USED to be the 2 AM sports talk radio stations I listened to. I could get the FOX one (SportsTalk 980) or the ESPN/Zebra/Redskins one (730 something). Now, just one: the Zebra ate the Fox and we have ESPN 980. And the result is that both buttons have the same radio content. Actually, weirdly, they are approximately 3 seconds off from each other.

Teams have been juggled. The results are ok, but if you're tired of one talking head, you can't easily just get another. There is no other sports talk in DC now. Loss of choice is NOT great. The fact that 2 stations are doing the same content is ... odd and ... bizarre and ... well just odd and bizarre. Why 2?

This week has been radio Favre -- and when I get tired of one talking head's points (which of course they do repeat, over and over ... and over again), I can't find another.

At least they canned the John Riggins show. I never liked him. Seemed just not too smart, not really paying attention half the time. Odd stuff. Sometimes funny, I'll grant. But, not consistently good. Steve Czeban is consistent, consistently good, but now only available in the late afternoon, which is not often when I'm listening -- since I don't commute, actually. I even bet we'll hear from JR again when football season gets started again.

All this is due to Danny, the Redskin owner. He bought all the radio stations. I guess he wants to control all Redskin and by indirection sports things. I'm feeling pretty controlled now, that's true. Thanks Danny!

TILT: (Sun) Bad Crowes

2008-08-03T20:17:00.000-07:00

I've just been to one of the worst concerts ever: the Black Crowes. Can't believe it, really. I like a bunch of their songs. Too bad they didn't play but one of them. The sound was bad too. Guess I'm just amazed they wouldn't play any of their most popular songs. None. Well one. That's it. Too much money spent to get NO favorite songs.

TILT: (Sat) It's a bank .... No, it's a coffee shop

2008-08-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

ING Direct -- a bizarre hybrid concept. Good Pete's coffee. Dunno about the bank part, but it sure is a different way to do business.

TIlT: (Fri) Hangin in Philly

2008-07-31T17:57:00.000-07:00

Drove up to Philadelphia yesterday. Traffic not too bad. Get to see the daughter's acting school presentation today -- exciting. Maybe something of Philly. Last night we ate at a restaurant called Fork! Actually the food was very good. We made good use of our utensils, including our forks. Ho ho ho.

TILT: (Thu) Seeing deer dog

2008-07-31T16:42:00.000-07:00

Sasha and I saw a passel of deer on our morning walk. Sasha was quite interested. So was I. So were they. Very. Very very interested in us. They us that deer in the headlights completely stationary stare. We all stared at each other for quite a while. Then we moved a bit too close, or a bit too fast. And off they went! At times like this you see why they as called whitetail deer.

Beautiful.

TILT: (Wed) Picturing the blog

2008-07-29T14:03:00.000-07:00

This is a full TILT view of the blog.

Guess I'm VERY easily amused, eh?

TILT: (Tue) Posting from the iPhone

2008-07-29T13:58:00.000-07:00

Maybe making it easier to post will mean more posting. Might work. Let's see.

Today I learned that I can procrastinate with the best of them. I think I already knew this but recent activity -- or lack there of -- confirms my lassitude.

Why is it so hard to get motivated to write? Sometimes it seems to work; other times nothing.

Nothing new, anyway. I give up.

TILT: (Mon) Get LOUD!

2008-07-29T13:54:00.000-07:00

Cranked up the amp and axe today. Just making noise and getting the blisters on my fingers again, soon I hope to be callouses. I haven't played since before the Paris trip. That's a long time, and the fingers really felt that.

Still, music is just great. Playing music is even greater. And, playing music LOUD is even more greaterer. Just wail!

TILT: (Sun) Long dog walk/run

2008-07-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

Today the weather was right for a nice long walk with the DOG. Sasha is not normally given such great things, but we got on a roll. Actually, I ran, and the wife walked Sasha. Or, is it the other way around.

Funny how such a simple thing can make the day better.

TILT: (Sat) Dancing again

2008-07-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

More dance lessons, on Saturdays now. I'm still confused. Surprised?

I wonder sometimes if I really should just give up on this. It's not for me, anyway, but I would like to make my dancing partner happy. I hope this does. She seems happy to make fun of my dancing, so far.

TILT: (Fri) Haircut

2008-07-25T15:17:00.001-07:00

Ok, really got the locks shorn today. Sheep-like. Not much left. Tired of the maintenance. Tired of the look. Tired. Now, no more long hair. Fine. Done.

I don't think I look too bald. I hope. I pray.

Oops.

TILT: (Thu) Into DC for work

2008-07-25T15:16:00.001-07:00

Well, you have to do some client visits, and these were mine. Wander in early, go to 4 meetings, Metro home. Not horrible. Some new places and faces. Not horrible. Not too humid and yet sunny. Not horrible.

Might go back someday.

TILT: (Wed) Now the game ... or ... not?

2008-07-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

The day after the power outage, we had the game. Got their early by DC Metro so I could have a beer at the Screaming Eagles tailgate. Fun -- weather was nice. Mind you, I'd had a long discussion with my wife about needing a rain coat or not. Decided: not.

Wrong.

Got there and got thru half-time and then a huge deluge. Knocked out half the lights.

Teams exited the pitch -- it was lightninging and thundering. Rain was sheeting. The pitch was just a lake. Fans ran out and splashed and skidded and surfed. This got cheers as well as announcements to stop doing it.

Got tired of waiting, so I ran thru the rain to the Metro station and went home.

They did restart the game much later, finishing after midnite. DC United lost. Well, too many injuries. Defense porous. Etc.

TILT: (Tue) Soccer or not?

2008-07-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

Today was the rematch for the DC United / Dynamo game that was rained out. Then, I got a text message: match postponed for one day because there was no power at RFK Stadium. Well, I guess you can't play soccer at night without lights, not to mention a few other things that lack of power might inhibit. Still, when was the last time you noticed an event canceled due to power outage? Odd.

TILT: (Mon) Radio Choice Removed

2008-07-25T15:06:00.001-07:00

Today my 2 local sports talk stations became one. FOX lost; Zebra with now ESPN980 won. Now, my old 2 stations play the SAME THING (1 second or so off). Gee. Now when I'm tired of Mike and Mike, I have NOTHING else to change to. Ugh. Unfortunately, I get tired of M&M quite a bit. Particularly when they repeat everything each hour.

Ugh. I'm not happy.

TILT: (Sun) Fixing the blog

2008-07-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

For some reason the formatting was all off on my earlier postings for my Paris trip, so I've just spend a few hours messing around to get them to read/view better. Ugh. Waste of freaking time.

Gotta go walk the dog and hopefully survive the heat.

I took an hour almost to cool off after a midday run in 97 degrees (and probably 100% humidity). Ugh. Some guy died yesterday in some "fun run" -- he was 60 so perhaps wasn't as ready. Still, it's hot and hard to figure when to really do the running.

But, I think I'll go earlier on Tuesday. I'm sure it'll be hot and humid even in the earlier morning. Oh well, summer in DC. Loverly.

TILT: (Sat) Supporting the local farmers market

2008-07-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

We just ate wonderful garden grown big succulent tomatoes. We got these from the local farmers market, which until now I'm afraid to say we just haven't used much. We got local beef, sausage, bacon, many veggies, butter, pickles and olives and really had a blast. Who needs Whole Foods (which is btw just across the street basically from this Saturday only market)?

TILT: (Fri) Back to work

2008-07-19T12:02:00.001-07:00

Can anything be less interesting than the first day back at work after a fun vacation?

I did get thru my 300+ emails, and got the new iPhone 2.0 software loaded, and downloaded my first set of apps. Nice update I think. But, I don't think I need the new 3G phone to have most of the advantages of the new stuff. Now I can see my work Exchange email on the phone, along with my gmail ones, so I'm pretty happy. I think I'll cancel my work phone and just carry one from now on. I'll have fun running the battery down!

TILT: (Thur) Traveling home from Switzerland and Paris

2008-07-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

We spent one more night in Paris, training back on one of those very fast TGV trains that they announced was doing over 200 mph at some point. France is not as interesting by train as Switzerland is -- the train from Paris to Bern went thru nice valleys and showed some hills and lake Neuchatel. The train back was just ... fast.

Then, out to Charles de Gualle airport for the flight back to DC. All and all a nice set of travel days in this trip -- no hurry, no complications -- except they gave us train tickets for August rather than July initially and we had to go back and change them and wait again in a long line. Paris is full of them. We just missed Bastille Day, which I'm happy to have left town for.

So, did we have a good time? I think these pictures answer that question. Yes, we had a blast.

TILT: (Wed) Switzerland has serious Alps

2008-07-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

Tuesday we went from our friend's house in Thun up to a mountain called Niesen that sits across (tho not as close as at Kleine Scheidigg) from the big Alps: the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau.

The view of those mountains, the lakes (Thun, Brienz) and the town of Interlaken in between was spectacular.

This view is what that word was invented for -- describing this view from this high up requires this word: SPECTACULAR. Wonderful too.

Then, the clouds came in and the mountains started appearing out of the gloom. Even more impressive and interesting.

Then we had some beer. I love Switzerland. And, Feldschlosschen. Or, in this case, any beer they're serving at the top of a mountain.

Which by the way is where the term "Feldschlosschen experience" comes from. Way back when I first visited Switzerland and my friends I was just about 16, then I came again at around 18. The second time, I was with a friend from the US, and we hiked a lot. As we got into the mountains near the Jungfrau, we had a beer at the end of a long hike up the mountains, and that beer was Feldschlosschen. Then, we had the Feldschlosschen experience: completely tired and deserving of a good beer. And, a view. I think beer with a vista is best, don't you?

TILT: (Tue) Thun and Friends

2008-07-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

The best way to have a great time visiting somewhere, anywhere really, and particularly places that speak different languages is to have friends. We have friends in Switzerland, both in Bern and Thun. This time we visited the friends in Thun. They have a nice little house that fabulously decorated. Our friend should DEFINITELY follow up on her idea of becoming an interior decorator.

Even more spectacular is their backyard that has a distant view of the serious Alps between other houses -- we sat out one night around a fire and watched the sun sink and the glow on those mountains fade. We drank wine and beer. Too much wine and beer.

Here's to good and great friends. We love you!

The town of Thun has its own beauty as well. The Aare river runs out of the Thunersee and thru town, providing a nice focus for the small old town with its castle prison.

TILT: (Mon) Bern in full flood

2008-07-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

After arriving on a rainy Sunday, we had good Swiss cheese (they don't call it that -- they call it Emmentaler and other things, depending on which kind) and bread and cold meats for dinner. And, Feldschlosschen beer -- my Swiss favorite.

The next day, we drove to Bern to wander around. Grand old city built the in curve of the Aare river. Wonderful to just walk around.

And, then have a beer -- in this case the local brewery's quaff. That was near those Bern bears you may have heard of.

There are many towers and statues along the main street that are funny, like a monkey, like a fat man eating babies -- all not pictured to remain politically correct. But along with statues, there is something else commonly encountered in Switzerland. Let me see ...

I remembered: it's clocks. I've heard the Swiss are more famous for that than cheese. I could be wrong.

TILT: (Sun) Travel day to Switzerland, but remembering Paris

2008-07-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

While taking the train to visit friends in Switzerland, I reflected on the fun of Paris.

After all the museums and monuments and squares and walking, a few things stand out. These include:

the Metro

playing boule in a garden at lunch

the little streets with Parisian life (and of course cafes), like Rue Cler

the little churches that pop out at you as you round corners, stuck in a niche (St. Sulpice, St. Germain des Pres, and so many others ...)

the food, including crepes

the little restaurants, stuck in out of the way places that someone knew to send us to

the chocolate

the food, including the bread and things built on that

Notre Dame, of course -- visited in the whirlwind, but to me less impressive than ...

the odd gas stations

(ok, that was a joke -- Notre Dame WAS impressive, more outside than in. The church that impressed me most inside is ... coming later in this blog entry!)

What else do I remember?

the Cafe life

the Rodin Museum -- visited at some point in there

Sainte Chapelle -- the most wonderful thing in Paris -- a palace of stained glass reaching to heaven

So wonderful, it bears repeating.

All in all, a wonderful visit!

TILT: (Sat) Paris day 4 -- Getting High

2008-07-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Our last full day in Paris I spent wandering around to all the high parts of Paris -- the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and Montmartre with Sacre Coeur. It was nice to get high. It was like taking a ring around the inner Paris.

First, Sacre Coeur -- a beautiful white apparition above the city, but so real close up. Magnificent.

Then, the Arc -- interesting placement (monument to Napoleon) on the Champs Elysees -- in one direction the Louvre, in the other La Defence with its square "gateway arch". I found the view from the top more interesting than the monument itself, but then, I'm not French.

While I took a lot of pictures, it's hard to use them to explain the experience of waiting an hour in line to get up the Eiffel Tower (and I got there early), then taking the elevator (really more like a mountain tram) up first to 2, then on a separate one to the top. Looking down while moving up did make me dizzy, but concentrating on the horizon was helpful. The top is WAY up there, so high that you really can't see much with any detail. Some say don't bother to go up (costs extra too), but I liked it. Then again, I like to get high -- the vistas are just great.

The lower floors were also interesting -- you're closer to the monuments and buildings so it's easier to see them.

It really was fun to just wander around and see everyone doing what they do.

TILT: (Fri) Paris day 3 -- the Orsay museum

2008-07-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

The Orsay museum has a bunch of things including impressionists and a mishmash of other things. The space itself is pretty interesting -- an old rail station converted, with a nice view of it all as you walk in.

With Van Gogh, Serat, Renoir, Degas and many others. Wonderful.

They have this cool eaterly that's behind an externally facing clock that was fun to sit at and have a beer. The space was beautiful, almost as much as the pictures.

TILT: (Thu) Paris day 2, part deux -- the Orangerie

2008-07-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

After I got tired of the Louvre with all its people and bustle, I went to the Orangerie. This has the largest (and first) set of Monet's lilies in a specially designed two room space that has them all around you, skylit from above. The effect is interesting, but of course having seen some in NYC at the MOMA makes this not quite as impressive. Still, these are very interesting blobs of paint.

Then, below, were some more interesting things. Along with the other obvious modernists like Renoir, Surat, and others, there were two I really hadn't seen before.

First, Durain with this still life of flowers in a vase. Look at the edge of the vase -- this is blurred like a flower too. No hard edge at all. Very interesting. Hope you can see this in the not great photo I could take with my little iPhone. Impressive to see live.

Second, Chaim Soutine -- apparently crazy. But, his art, heavy in reds, was exceptional. This image of a woman just stood out, but he had many others that were expressive and bathed in red shades, as if with blood. Clearly emotional, clearly emoting. Beautiful and powerful.

TILT: (Thu) Paris day 2 -- the Louvre

2008-07-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Then it was off to the Louvre.

I got there very early, so early in fact that I was the ONLY ONE in the room with the Venus de Milo for about five minutes -- the proof is in this picture.

The thing fills up quickly, so I didn't have much time that way -- as this next picture proves (taken about one hour later as I looped back around).

Most interesting things are the Venus and the Victory of Samothrace -- with it's new found finger separately. Odd. As Rick Steves noted, it's like having someone give you the finger.

The least interesting thing: not surprisingly the Mona Lisa. Here it is, in all it's ... glory.

Ugh. Could something be further away and harder to see and more crowded. Unbelievable.

I looked at it for a minute and then went in search of art I could actually see.

And, I found some.

It's the Louvre after all: the largest museum ever. Converted palace by the revolutionaries into a museum so the masses could see what previously only the nobility and wealthy courtiers could. Good work, republicans! I applaud your libertie, egalite, and fraternite. Of course, we Americans beat you to the revolution thing by a few years. We're happy however to have you follow in our footsteps. Ok, really, that was just uncalled for. Hooray for the French.

TILT: (Wed) Paris day 1 -- very modern art

2008-07-19T07:46:00.000-07:00

First museum: the Centre Pompidou with it's modern collection. I enjoyed this, though having just recently been to the MOMA in NYC, it seemed similar in many ways. The outside of the museum obviously is very interesting -- it's famously inside out and indeed amusing in view. It sits just within so much of old Paris -- sticks out like a sort thumb to many Parisians I hear. But, it's fun.

Then, for more fun, check out this rhino's rear and related pictures.

Then, one picture that was 3D that was such fun to walk around.

They let you take pictures, so long as there's no flash. These are all just with the 2 megapixel iPhone camera I have. I didn't take another better (but still small) camera, which I now regret. I'd thought of it, but the daughter had the good one with her in Philly. Oh well. I'll make do with these shots.

TILT: (Tue) Off to Paris ...

2008-07-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

A day of work -- waking up early to try to start getting on Euro time -- and then to the airport. Taxi, dog in the kennel, two bags packed, the wife and I trundle off. We packed lite -- hard to believe, for me especially. Doesn't look like the weather will be too hot, so only one pair of shorts -- wouldn't be good to be caught out in shorts in Paris, would it? Ugly americaine!

Anyway, arrive the next morning very early, suss out the train RER+Metro into the city and ... voila: we're in Paris. Who would have thought?

The METRO trains are great -- not too far between stations and running very regularly. Always another train each 5 minutes or less. Better than the DC metro -- quieter, more like hopping on a street car than a train. Some of the tunnels are long and some train changes require a bit too much transfer walking, but overall I thought this was a metro you could really live with. You get the express pass and you just go when you want. I was able to wander all around the city with impunity. Really comfortable.

Then, the sights of Paris!

The cafes with views of the churches (l'eglise) -- such as this one of St. Germain des Pres from Les Deux Magots (a famous cafe for the Americans in Paris back in the day -- Hemmingway was there I heard, but I didn't see him).

The Seine with tourist boats was also pretty running through the town. Unlike DC, the city is actually built to exploit the river and let you see it, with many bridges and river walk areas. DC almost seems to ignore it's river will sitting beside it.

TILT: (Mon) A new song and dance

2008-07-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

Planning for Paris; listening to BB King and Eric Clapton:

----------------
Now playing: B.B. King & Eric Clapton - Come Rain Or Come Shine
via FoxyTunes
----------------

So, another new feature on Firefox with FoxyTunes to put songs into blog entries. I love this song -- it builds to such a great end, and it has such an interesting chord progression. I'm still trying to learn it on my guitar.

TILT: (Sun) Driving, driving, driving

2008-07-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

To Philly and back all in the same day to take the daughter to camp. Nice, but long. Plus, slow traffic -- long weekend return day for many. OTOH, it really wasn't as bad as I feared. We got there late tho, and in a downpour. So, unloading the bags was ... wet and slow. Then, she forgot her iPod, so we went back. Oh well. At least we arrived without major incident. It rained so much that on the way back we couldn't use the freeway ramp -- it was flooded. So we got a bit larger tour of Philly than we expected.

Gone for a month, that kid is. Wonder how we'll do without her.

TILT: (Sat) Missed Friday weekend peon

2008-07-07T15:18:00.001-07:00

Perhaps that's because it was July 4 (holiday), and anyway I was entertaining friends. But, this marks the first Friday in a while I did NOT blog about the weekend. Oops.

So, friends are fun. Interesting when they do lots of work -- our friends this time are great cooks so we did NOTHING on Independence Day other than cook and eat. Not that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, there IS nothing wrong with that. However, I gained weight.

Oh well. If I've learned anything about myself (and this is a blog about things I learned today), it's that I have an infinite capacity for porterhouse steak. Also, most other food. And, let's not forget beer. Such is my list of main vices. Really.

TILT: (Fri) Google Toolbar Installed

2008-07-07T15:15:00.000-07:00

Google Toolbar Installed

Just got a new toolbar (for Google) that let's me mark pages right into this blog as things I like. I've been doing that from Google Reader for blog entries, but now I can do it from Firefox (or any other place that has a Google toolbar). Cool.

So, what pages will I mark?

TILT: (Thur) Fixing the guitar

2008-07-03T20:21:00.000-07:00

Drove over to my guitar fixer today. Really, I don't have my axe fixed often, or ever. But, I've had one that had bad pots and didn't make much noise anymore -- a cheap mexican strat. So, he took it all apart, put in new pots and switch, basically twiddled all that can be twiddled, replaced all the wiring, messed with the neck, polished it, put on new strings. And, voila, for $150, I have basically a new guitar.

Pretty cool to watch it all happen. Those pieces apart look odd, but together they actually DO look like a guitar again. Yeah!

A guy there was talking about his vintage Les Paul guitars. I also have a Les Paul, but not from the vintage era. The ones he talked about were selling for $10s and in some cases $100s of THOUSANDS of dollarinos. He called them investments. I don't get it, myself. I want one that sounds good and plays well. I actually like having a cheaper one that still sounds good. I can't imagine having a real old one -- I think I'd be afraid of actually playing it, or taking it anywhere.

So, I like my old but not vintage Les Paul -- besides, I've had it for 25 years. I even think my cheap mexi-strat is nice, particularly now that it's been souped up a bit. Guess I'm just cheap. Or, not a collector, anyway. How many guitars do you really need, after all? Me, I can only play one at a time, so ... I don't need many.

TILT: (Wed) Blogging my heart out

2008-07-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

Finally caught up. Only to go on vacation next week (to Paris). Wonder if I'll update the blog while away. Likely not, but ... you never know.

Expecting guests for the long weekend, so last chance to get work done before that. Did ok today getting things done. Now need to finish up tomorrow.

TILT: (Tues) Crosswords

2008-07-02T20:30:00.000-07:00

I do crossword puzzles. I can usually do the weekday puzzles in the Times and Post. I can often do the Sat Post and Sunday Times ones, given enough time. It's pleasing to just listen to music and do the puzzle in a comfy chair. I need reading glasses now for that -- too hard to read the small numbers without.

I hear there are other puzzles worth trying -- especially in the SF Chronicle or whatever. I'll see if they are online. I hope there will be an iPhone app for xwords and Soduku -- not the annoying webapps I use now (can't use on the train when you're disconnected from the network, etc.).

TILT: (Mon) Monday Monday

2008-07-02T20:24:00.000-07:00

I wish it weren't. No, not really. I'm just humming that PP&M song. If I remembered the words, I'd write them. Harmony, simple pleasing harmony over guitar and light other instruments, with strings and some tamborine. Oops -- just found this on my iTunes and it's Mamas and Papas, not PP&M. Of course. Now the words: Monday morning, I hope it was all you hoped it would be. ... Couldn't guarantee ... that Monday evening you'd still be here with me.

There aren't many songs with tamborine anymore. Even people playing tamborine man don't use that instrument in the song. Odd.

I have other Monday songs in my music library -- Manic Monday, Stormy Monday. Both sound bad, just in title, don't they? Both are actually good songs, however. So, in general, Monday is a good music day. At least according to my iTunes library. Wish I felt that way more often.

TILT: (Sun) Becks gets shut up

2008-07-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

DC United 4-1 winners over LA Galaxy today. Beckham was a bust. Not really, they just didn't finish well. Donovan never scored, but had many chances. We on the other hand had many opportunities, and didn't convert nearly all of them. We seem to be coming into some sense of form, doing things better. Getting our $1.9M man to really use his skills to setup others with passing after control. We looked good. Good and dangerous. Good and risky -- since our defense isn't great. We'll have to score a lot, since we know good teams can score against us. Goalie Zack had a good day (after his one missed shot that wasn't at all his fault).

TILT: (Sat) The play's the thing

2008-07-02T20:15:00.000-07:00

Antony and Cleopatra -- live and in person. We sat so close to the stage that the actors were ... right there! A fun thing about live theatre. Also, I had not seen / read that one in ages (perhaps never?). Interesting sections. Shakes is always interesting. HUGE cast, and I don't mean the actors were overweight. Lots of turning out in military-esque costumes. Changing backstage was probably problematic. Nice excursion. My wife keeps me / us in enough culture that we do really enjoy being in a big city. I'm glad. I probably wouldn't do it by myself. But, I like doing it. Heck, I probably wouldn't have done the DC United tickets if my wife hadn't given them to me for a birthday. (I guess she can't figure out what to give me either. I'm not complaining, mind you.)

TILT: (Fri) Weekend coming ... and I'm flying home

2008-07-02T20:10:00.001-07:00

To enjoy the weekend. Got on the earlier flight without paying extra. Nice. Airport there is small. Like they have listing boards that are permanently set for the four or so flights coming in and out each day. Like they share the podium for getting each flight out the door. Like there's only really one door to go out. Like you have to walk out across the tarmac and up stairs to your flight. Like ... well, you get the picture. Small. Tiny. Little. Wee. And, forgettable.

TILT : (Thurs) Being Faculty

2008-07-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

One thing interesting about this Penn State gig is that my colleague and I are called faculty. Now, my wife is a professor, so it's not new. But, I'm not one. So, to be carrying around a "faculty" badge is pretty interesting. Or thought provoking. It reminds me that I always thought I'd be a teacher, but it didn't pay well. My own job as an analyst and before that writing for a technical magazine certainly could be considered a form of teaching, but I think it does pay better. It's interesting comparing what I do compared to what my wife does -- when in a sense we do very similar things. Odd. Or, for that matter, not odd. Interesting.

TILT: (Wed) Something

2008-07-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, something. Also correspondingly inevitable. This time about travel for work. Again, inevitable.

Flying to beautiful State College PA today to teach at a seminar session at Penn State University. Apparently that's obvious. There's nothing else in the town than the university. Good Creamery ice cream -- I'll give them that. Nice there in the summer without too many kids around. Actually, no kids that weren't working at the on campus Nittany Lion Inn I stayed at. Flight up on a puddle jumper from the cattle car section of the airport. Always lovely. Just hanging around waiting. And, waiting. And, ...

Then, actual propellers on the plane. Hard to remember those, isn't it. So, I took a picture of them thru the window while flying in the rain. Look at what my little iPhone camera does with fast motion. Interesting.

TILT: (Tues) Inevitable -- NOTHING is inevitable

2008-07-02T19:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, inevitable. That'd I'd arrive at the time to blog with nothing to say. So, let's riff on that, shall we?

NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING

Enough of nothing, now, I think. Now on to something.

TILT: (Mon) One last dance lesson

2008-07-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

At least, I hope it's the last in many ways. I just don't think they give us enough practice time for really cementing the simpler moves. You're working on one thing, and they're trying to teach something more complex already. I can't do all that. OTOH, I do like the movement and how it makes my stomach and thigh and buttocks muscles feel. It's very different from running, and I think it keeps those things in better condition than running. Interesting -- I like the exercise aftereffect of dance, but less so the actual dancing. I keep needing to count too. Two, three, cha cha cha. Oh boy. Well, I'm sure my wife will drag me to more lessons some time in the future. I'd like to do better if that's what she wants. I just don't really see much benefit, myself.

TILT: (Sun) Earthquakes suck

2008-07-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

Earthquakes suck. I mean the soccer team. While United is rounding into what appears to be something near form (scoring, not being scored on too much), SJ is just bad. We almost look good against this team. Still have much to work on, though. Nice to take a Sunday to go see something real, rather than just on TV. I like the bouncing stands at RFK. I like the standing thru the whole game. The singing. The open air. The privacy of your own thoughts in the midst of around 15K fans. Still, it was hot.

TILT: (Sat) Getting home - aaahhh!

2008-07-02T19:40:00.000-07:00

That was my textual attempt to portray a good sigh. A sigh of relief. A sigh of comfort and satisfaction at finally arriving home. Nothing went wrong at the house while we were away, and I even remembered the alarm code. I like coming home. Means I can relax. Nothing to do. Have all Sunday to recover and gird for the battle at work on Monday after a vacation. It's just nice to be home. It's quiet. I can kick back. Even after vacation, it's nice to kick back at home. Just more relaxing than being around people for 24x7. When we get home, we usually scatter to our separate haunts. Me to the dungeon for TV and some web surfing or whatever. Playing guitar maybe. Just being home. That's what it is: just being home. Aaahhh! :-) Happy.

TILT: (Fri) Weekend coming, we're going ... home from the beach

2008-07-02T19:36:00.001-07:00

Oh yeah. But, well, we're already at the beach on vacation all week, so now here's what the weekend coming means: we have to leave. Leave and before that get the house cleaned up and (worse) emptied of all our trash and unused food. Leave and drive 4 hours to DC on filled interstates. That wasn't as bad as it could have been -- leaving Sat afternoon is perhaps the BEST time to leave. But, it's sad -- last full day at the beach. Last chance to really let loose with the family. I'll miss them. It was a good vacation. Tomorrow there won't be time to relax with all the leaving, but now there's no time to relax for all the regret that it's almost over. Sort of ruins the last day, even tho you're still AT THE BEACH that day. Oh well, the mind is a terrible thing to ... explain or even overcome. Let the psychology win. I'm bummed at the beach. Hard to believe.

TILT: (Thurs) Cooking at the beach

2008-07-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

The way we do it, we have each major family grouping own cooking (and shopping) for one nite. We chose the first nite, this time, which meant fewer people but less time to prepare -- we'd only gotten into the house 3 hours before we had to serve dinner. So, a quick but also huge first shop of the week haul (over $700 of food and drink, amazingly), then some quick cooking of pasta, chicken and salad. Nothing fancy for us. Just hope we didn't overcook the chicken. It worked. That's all we hope for. Cheaper than eating out and more fun -- we can be louder and more relaxed. So, a good time was had by all. Oh, and to top it off, we get to clean up after ourselves -- and the other 15 people in the house. Don't usually cook nor clean for that many in one meal. Wow. What a bunch of marauders!

TILT: (Wed) Beach Concert -- Pearl Jam

2008-07-02T19:28:00.000-07:00

This was cool. Went to the VA Amphitheater to hear Pearl Jam last nite. Fun. A whole bunch of us went. Got a t-shirt. Nice concert, but I must say I like their rocking stuff (Jeremy, etc.) more than their slower things. I've never loved all of their stuff, but I do love some of it. They did play all the hits, for sure. Nice to hear. My wife does love them, particularly Eddie's voice. So it was really great to get her to something she loves that much. I always struggle to get things she loves, so it's nice when it happens.

TILT: (Tues) More beach, with running

2008-07-02T19:26:00.000-07:00

Running at the beach is both good and bad. Good, since it keeps the vacation induced poundage in some sort of check. Bad, because it's hot. Bad because to do it you have to get up early to avoid the heat. Then, it feels less like vacation. Then again, I get up early anyway these days -- I just can't sleep late anymore. So, I might as well run, while no one is up to talk with. It's nice to see other parts of the beach sort of leisurely, without viewing from a moving vehicle.

TILT: (Mon) Family versus Books

2008-07-02T19:23:00.000-07:00

My family is all book readers. And, puzzler doers. So, at the beach, we all have our noses in something. We sit and groups and ignore each other. One sister (in law) is a talker, so when she's around, there's always some discussion. I used to resent that interruption in my otherwise dedicated reading time. But, now I've swung the other way. Now I prefer the talking to the reading. After all, I don't need to vacation with my family I see pretty much just this once per year only to ignore them the whole time. So, now I'm annoyed when no one wants to talk. Hey, are we here together ... or alone? Will the books win? They did this year.

TILT: (Sun) Off to the beach!

2008-07-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

I always liked this part of the summer -- hitting the beach. VA beach this time. The house we've rented is RIGHT ON THE BEACH. We can see our crowd out on the sand at the shoreline, and still stay in the shade of the nice front porch sipping brews legally. Nice arrangement. More expensive, of course, but very functional and just comfortable. We also got the fancy room upstairs that had the balcony overlooking the beach -- pretty, but isolated, so I didn't stay up there much. I prefer the company of those I only vacation with once a year to my wife I see every day, I guess.

TILT: (Sat) Now for the wedding and reception

2008-07-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

Nephew's all married now. First of my brother's kids. Interesting to see how old they all are. He's 30 already, so I'm getting old. Everyone else's age reminds me of how old I am. Is that good? I don't think so. Reception on a hill top after it rained for EXACTLY the amount of time we were in the church. Cooled things off nicely. Even Charlottesville gets hot in the summer. Didn't have enough left to go clubbing/bar hopping after the dinner, and anyway my daughter can't get in those places (yet). Nice to see the folks not invited to the rehearsal -- larger crowd and thus even more fun.

TILT: (Fri) Weekend coming

2008-07-02T19:09:00.000-07:00

Yet again. Why is every Friday entry turning into the plans for the weekend entry? Actually, since this is retroactive, I really can't do that.
So, let me start again.
Friday: I'm flying back from Orlando (conference) to rush to the wedding rehearsal dinner of my nephew and his new Portland OR wife. Cute couple -- both laid back. Met in line for beer at some festival in Portland. Lots of their friends were there. My half of the family had fun meeting the other half. Mostly, we hung as a family and did as little as possible.

TILT: (Thur) Planning Paris

2008-07-02T19:03:00.000-07:00

France, that is. My wife and I are going for over a week -- sans daughter (who will be in drama camp). Romantic! Probably more expensive than I want it to be, but heck -- we gotta enjoy ourselves. We'll come back I'm sure with some pounds to lose. I've been collecting some ideas for where to eat, go and stay. Hope some work out. Have a guide book or three. Do I need a new camera? Hmm.

TILT: (Wed) Getting hammered in the sun

2008-07-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

Lately, my DC United soccer games are during the day (weekends), and I get to the tailgate for some beverage consumption prior to the event. My Screaming Eagles membership gives me free beer from the kegs they get. So, I sit out with friends (including my dog Sasha's vet!) and drown a few. This is fine, when it's not too hot. But when it IS hot, like lately and for the next few months here in DC, this is trouble. I get so sweaty, particularly when I keep to the normal black shirts. I just purchased a real United jersey in white to wear in the heat, but it's not so good for the usual goal of a "black out" as it's called for our fan section in the bouncing seats of RFK. So, I swelter. I get home and usually have a splitting headache. Great soccer. But, not so great results personally. Ugh.

TILT: (Tue) Radio Ads -- Time to Calculate?

2008-07-02T18:56:00.001-07:00

I listen to a bit too much talk radio -- sports talk radio. I always get annoyed by how much time they spend on advertisements. First, when they switch to their score review segment (every 20 minutes), they have both the national and the local cases -- which takes time. Then, they have their ads. I try to get used to when I can tune out for say 5-8 minutes. Then, they add new in segment ads where they verbally read copy that's an add -- so and so sponsoring this segment. I am toying with the idea of recording a whole day and then publishing actual real talk times with no ads for each show to see which is the WORST about this. Wonder if FOX is worse than ESPN?

TILT: (Mon) Catching up again (as of July 1 = 3 weeks!)

2008-07-01T05:01:00.000-07:00

I'm way behind. Vacation, then work, plus a profound lack of interest? in writing? I've had thoughts, but just didn't take the time to jot them here. Why not? Too hard? No, I have an iPhone and many computers to make that all easy. Just too lazy? Probably.

TILT: (Sun) The drone

2008-06-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

I just went to a school fine arts award banquet for my daughter last nite. The speaker for the event was just horrible. Too bad. He droned. He said arts doesn't pay so ... just be careful. He mumbled. He made most of the mistakes you can make when speaking publicly. He took much too long. Everyone was saying he was bad. Oh well. I guess he came with a good long resume. BUT HE WAS BAD.

TILT: (Sat) It's SUMMER!

2008-06-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

Ugh. Very hot and worse: lots of humidity. Went running today and came back totally bedraggled and roasted. I've got to start earlier in the morning. Much earlier. Otherwise, I'm just totally overheated. I had to rest for an hour after running. I soaked a shirt and a towel AFTER showering. Next time, I'm taking a cold bath to cool down.

Summer's here. Oh boy.